


Two Truths and a Lie

by Anonymous



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-05-17 03:59:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5853235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a one shot request for an anon from one of my other works/Tumblr. If you have any requests, please feel free to message me on my Tumblr at http://cyanidesun420 tumblr.com</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Truths and a Lie

Kari Grey strode up to the elevator, pointedly ignoring the fact that her heart was in her throat. Her hands were clasped at the small of her back, her knuckles white. She tapped the foot of her black leather flats impatiently. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied tightly in a ponytail high on her head, the curls trailing to her shoulders. Her silvery blue eyes darted around the hallway anxiously.

"You must be the new SVU detective." A man had joined her at the elevator. He was about her height, Hispanic descent but bright green eyes, staring at her almost severely. Definitely a lawyer.

"Detective Grey." Kari extended her hand. The man shook it shortly and nodded.

"ADA Barba. I assume we will be seeing a lot of each other."

***************************

Kari had joined the squad at SVU almost 4 years ago. The squad room was more like a home than her apartment, but that was fine with her. She leaned back in her chair, resting her feet on her desk.

"You really need to move out. We aren't allowed to sublet. City rules." Barba rounded the corner, holding a foam cup out to her. She smirked at him and rolled her eyes.

"That's fine. I don't like the neighbors." She took the cup and smelled it. Cuban coffee. Why wasn't she surprised. She took a small sip and smiled. He knew her coffee preference. Of course he did. How many nights had they spent pouring over case files into the early hours of the morning together?

"I'm sorry about the case today. That jury was stupid." Kari sighed with a shake of her head.

"We did our best. That's all we can do. What are you still doing here? Do you not have an apartment of your own?" Barba sat on the edge of her desk, his hands in the pockets of his coat.

"I haven't been to it in four years. It's probably still there, though." Kari joked back. Barba scoffed. He never laughed. He never smiled. He'd always scoff at her snide remarks or dry jokes.

"Go home, really. You did good work today. You deserve a break. Don't make me get Olivia to make it an order." He gave her his lawyer glare, and she shrunk back dramatically.

"Yesh, the lawyer eyes and threatening to call mommy on me. You must be serious. Fine, fine, I'll leave but you can't make me go home." She stuck her tongue out quickly and then smiled.

"You don't have to go home but you can't stay here. Come on, I'll walk you out." He handed Kari her coat and motioned her toward the door.

They walked outside and Kari turned to Barba. The cold New York air bit at her exposed skin. The night sky was darker than usual, threatening snow.

"Well, thank you for escorting me, good sir, but this is where we part ways." Kari mimed a curtsy and chuckled. Barba shook his head and scoffed.

"It's amazing that you ever became a detective. How old are you again?" He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"One of these days, Barba, I will get you to laugh. It's on my bucket list, you know." Kari pulled a pair of gloves from her coat pocket.

"Don't hold your breath, Grey. Where are you headed?"

"Probably get a drink, do some karaoke, rob a bank. You know, normal Friday night." Barba rolled his eyes again.

"Come on, I'll walk you at least to the bar."

"Counselor, are you taking me out for a drink? Well, now, I must clutch my pearls." Kari said in a comically thick southern accent.

"Well now you can just go by yourself." Barba turned to walk away, but Kari grabbed his arm and locked it with hers.

"Let's go, Barba. I'll buy YOU a drink. How about that?"

They walked to the bar in relative, surprisingly comfortable silence. They weren't exactly friends, but they weren't enemies either. They ended up at each other's throats on a weekly basis, arguing about cases or witnesses. But they were in each other's corners when it came down to it.

They slipped through the door of the dark pub. Kari waved at the bartender, Joe, who she knew fairly well. She motioned for two drinks, and Joe knew her usual.

Kari slid onto the bar stool of the dark, fairly quiet bar, wrapping one leg around the leg of the stool. Barba sat down next to her as Joe slid two scotches toward them.

"Thanks, Joe." Kari smiled at the grizzled older man, who simply nodded.

"I never pictured you as a scotch drinker, Grey." Barba noted, bringing the glass to his nose.

"Don't sniff it, you weirdo. It's only a little poisoned." Barba cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh stop it, it's Laphroaig. Joe orders them specifically for me. It's my favorite." Kari took a slow sip and sighed.

Barba sniffed it again before take a swig. He seemed pleased with it, because he didn't remark.

"You know, there's probably a lot you don't know about me. Considering we've worked together for four years, it's a little weird." Kari turned her stool to face him.

"Weird? No. Professional, I'd say." Barba sipped the scotch again, turning to face her as well.

"Professional? No. Cold, I'd say." Kari mimicked him. "We've spent more time together than most married couples and I would be willing to bet you don't even know my first name."

"I'm not a betting man, Kari." He rolled her name around on his tongue for a moment.

"Then what kind of man are you, Rafael?" She rolled the "R" pointedly on her tongue. "Let's play a game. Come on, we'll get a booth." She grabbed his hand and pulled him off his stool, leading him to the corner of the bar. "Joey, bring me the bottle of Laphroaig and a shot glass, please."

"No, no. Grey, not happening." Kari nodded her head eagerly. "Kari, seriously, no."

"Come on, Barba. Loosen up and just trust me for once." Kari tilted her head and put a hand on her hip. He scoffed before sighing and dropping into the booth. The bartender slid the bottle and the shot glass across the table to Kari before nodding once and walking back to the bar.

"Okay, what's the game, Grey?" Barba asked tersely. Kari bounced eagerly on the booth bench and clapped her hands.

"Yay, okay. So, I will tell you three things about myself, two truths and a lie. You have to pick which one is a lie. If you're wrong, you drink. Then it's your turn. You got it?" Barba sighed and nodded, waving for her to start. "Okay...um...My favorite color is forest green, I'm allergic to shellfish, and I play classical piano for fun." She stares down his lawyer stare, frowning pointedly. Barba scanned her face for a moment before answering.

"You don't play piano." He stated, sliding the shot glass closer to her.

"Nope." She replied, popping the "P" slightly. "Wrong, my dear Counselor. I'm in fact not allergic to shellfish. I've been playing piano since I was 6." She filled the shot glass and slid it slowly toward him.

"You actually play piano?" He was obviously surprised, his green eyes wide.

"Violin and guitar, too." She nodded. Barba looked at her for a long moment before taking his shot. Barba thought for a long moment.

"My parents were born in Cuba, I grew up in Brooklyn, I'm an only child." Barba said quickly. Kari put a finger on her chin and tapped it slowly, looking at the ceiling. She hummed softly and swung her shoulders back and forth. Barba sighed impatiently.

"Fine fine fine. You...are...not an only child!" Kari shouted. Barba huffed at her correct answer, much to her apparent glee. She poured another shot and slid the glass to him.

"You didn't say I'd have to drink if you got it right!" Barba objected, but Kari just laughed.

"My game, Rafael." Kari rolled his name dramatically again as he took the second shot. "Okay..."

The game went on for a few hours, Kari in the lead for most of the game. Rafael didn't believe Kari had ever gotten a law degree, or spoke fluent Spanish, while Kari almost believed Barba had gone two years into an art degree. By the time they left the bar, the bottle of scotch was dead. Kari and Barba were basically carrying each other out of the bar. Kari was slightly less drunk, so she hailed them a cab.

"Hey, Kari? I've been meaning to tell you...I think you're really...really great." Barba said softly, leaning heavily on her shoulder. Kari chuckled and pushed him onto the cab seat. He slumped over and she laughed out loud, pushing him over and climbing into the seat beside him.

"I'll just take you to my place. I don't think you're sober enough to remember your address. 120 and Amsterdam, please." The cabbie nodded and pulled away from the curb.

Barba had laid his head on her lap, his eyes half open looking up at her.

"Your eyes are the most...interesting color. They're like...blue steel. God how are you so pretty?" Kari laughed again, shaking her head. A few curls escaped her headband, falling into her face. Barba reached up and spun a strand around his finger.

"Counselor, I do believe you're incredibly drunk." Kari said with a laugh. Barba chuckled, a smile creeping across his face.

"Detective, I do believe you're correct." He laughed loudly then and sat up. Kari smiled and held him against her to keep him upright.

"Ha, you are capable of smiling. I can finally cross that off my bucket list." The cab stopped at the curb. Kari handed the fare to the cabbie, waving away the change and pulled Barba out of the cab.

Kari had to basically carry Barba to the elevator. She propped him against the back wall and pressed the button for her floor.

"This isn't my building." Barba pointed out expertly. Kari chuckled and shook her head.

"Very observant, counselor." Kari muttered, dragging him to her door. He wrapped his arms around her waist, effectively hugging her. He wasn't much taller than her, but he could still rest his head on top of hers. Kari used this opportunity to unlock her door. She had to fight to keep Barba from falling backward into her apartment.

"C'mon, Rafi. Let's get you on the couch." Kari said softly, leading the ADA by the arm. He dropped onto the couch with a thud, almost falling to the floor. Kari pushed him onto his back and proceeded to take off his shoes.

"Your apartment is small. But it's cute. I like it." Barba muttered, one arm over his face. Kari's cat had come to investigate the visitor, climbing onto Barba's chest with a soft meow. Barba laughed, patting the cat's black head.

"I didn't take you for a cat person, Rafi." Kari smiled at him as he snuggled the fluffy cat to his chest.

"You still don't know everything about me, Kari." Barba sat up, leaning toward her, his eyes bright and scanning her body. She'd taken off her jacket and button down work top, leaving her in a white tank top. "For example...you don't know how long I've wanted to do this." He put his hand on the back of her head, crashing his lips to hers fiercely.

Kari hadn't expected this, but it was suddenly everything she had wanted that she hadn't realized she was missing. The Laphroaig was still heavy on his breath, the smoky pine making the kiss even warmer. His fingers played through her hair, twisting and pulling just enough to make her breath hitch.

Kari placed her hands on either side of Rafael's face, pulling him away gently. Her breath was ragged, her face hot from alcohol and lust.

"I...I don't think now is the time, querido." Kari whispered. Rafael sighed and closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to hers.

"I'm not too drunk to know I want you. I've wanted you for a long time. Apparently alcohol is the courage I needed to finally do something about it." His eyes didn't meet hers, but she could tell he meant it. Kari sighed and pressed her lips to his forehead.

"Get some sleep, Rafi. We'll talk in the morning." She pushed him gently onto his back and left to grab a blanket from her bed. When she returned, he was unconscious. She chuckled and covered him with the quilt. She planted a quick kiss on his cheek before heading back into her bedroom.

Kari awoke early the next morning. She was still wearing her pajamas, a cotton tank top and boy shorts. It wasn't much, but she was covered.

She walked into the living room, and Barba was still out on the couch. He was laying on his stomach, snoring softly. He looked marginally younger when he was asleep, the stress gone from his face. She couldn't stop the smile from slipping onto her lips. She started making coffee.

She walked over to the couch, sitting on the coffee table across from Barba's sleeping form. She rubbed his shoulder gently, trying to stir him from his sleep.

"Rafi....Rafael...Barba? I object!" Barba started at that, and Kari laughed. His eyes took a moment to focus on her face. He sighed and sat up, rubbing his temples.

"What time is it?" His voice was thick with sleep and hangover. Kari handed him a bottle of aspirin and a cup of coffee. He sniffed it once and Kari chuckled.

"I only poison scotch, promise," Kari joked, sipping from her own cup. "It's just after 6. I didn't want you to be late for anything because of me."

"Thank you, Kari." He swallowed the aspirin and sighed, leaning back into the couch. Kari took the seat next to him, tucking her feet underneath her. She didn't want to bring up what had happened last night, in case he didn't remember. She eyed his face, looking away pointedly when he opened his eyes.

"You're uncharacteristically quiet. It's unnerving. Are you feeling okay?" He put a hand to get forehead like he was checking for fever. Kari giggled, but didn't respond. Rafael let his hand slide down to her cheek, a small smile on his lips.

"Holy nuggets, you just smiled at me. Are you still drunk?" Kari gasped and Rafael laughed lightly.

"You thought I didn't remember last night?" Rafael raised an eyebrow at her. A light blush creeped onto her cheeks as she nodded sheepishly.

"I wasn't holding my breath, if I'm honest." Kari set her cup down, taking his hand into hers. His hands were large, but surprisingly soft. He set his own cup siren and turned to face her on the couch. Barba leaned forward slowly, inching his face closer to hers. He was close enough she could feel his breath on her face, but he hadn't kissed her. His green eyes burned into hers, making her cheeks darken even more. Her breath was catching in her throat, and he wasn't even doing anything yet.

"Tell me to stop, and I will." Barba said in barely a whisper.

"Not a chance." Kari stated, crashing her lips into his. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers running through his hair. He placed his hands on her hips, letting her take the lead. Her tongue slid across his lips, and he gladly allowed her entrance.

Kari bit at his lip, the spike of pleasure from the moan she earned making her body tense and heat up. Barba's hand slid to her ass, kneading the flesh roughly. Kari grinded her hips against his growing erection, earning another rough groan from his lips.

Barba reached up and grabbed her breast, pinching gently at her already hard nipple. She was suddenly glad she hadn't bothered with a bra. She reached down and pulled the tank top over her head quickly, throwing it into the corner of the room. Barba moved his mouth down her jaw to her neck, then moved to pull her nipple into his mouth. Kari breathed his name, which caused a throb of lust to shoot through his already hard cock.

Kari pulled his shirt down off his shoulders, running her hands across his bare chest. She raked her nails down his back lightly when he flicked his tongue across her nipple.

"Bedroom. Now. Come." Kari grabbed his hand and pulled Barba to his feet.

"Oh no, that'll be your job." Barba growled and slapped her ass playfully.


End file.
